Sparks Will Fly AKA Warren Peace Series
by Likhoy
Summary: COMPLETE! This here is a little series of short stories about Warren & the Ice girl from the school dance at the end of the film, whom I've taken the creative liberty of naming in this story. All the chapters will be named for Rolling Stones songs...
1. Paint It, Black

**Paint It Black:**

Warren Peace plopped down with his book-bag at an empty table in the noisy cafeteria of Sky High, the prestigious high school for super-powered youth. He looked up at the table next to his and saw his sworn enemy; Will Stronghold, the son of Commander and Jetstream. **Commander**. Warren's eyes burned with the fury of a thousand white-hot suns as he thought of Commander Stronghold. The man who had imprisoned his father. Four life-terms his father would be in that cold, dank prison cell. Never to see a window for parole. Warren's ears steamed in anger, the smoky fumes rising. But that was not the worst of what had happened because of Commander Stronghold and his beautiful Jetstream. No. Warren's mother, the beautiful Empath named Nina Peace, died of a prolonged depression after the imprisonment of her husband. She slowly deteriorated, leaving behind a three-year-old toddler to be taken care of by a foster family originally from China.

He drummed his leather-covered hand on his knee as his dark eyes scanned the page he read over and over again. It was Ernest Hemingway's For Whom The Bell Tolls and he was in the middle of a well-written battle scene. The beat his fist pounded onto his knee, though, was not the song of the same name. Rather, it was the song "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones. His favorite song. He closed his dark, almost coal-colored, eyes and pictured the battle scene from Hemingway's war novel. But he saw only black. Mick Jagger's haunting vocals lingered in his mind. The British singer's eerie voice sang over and over, driving him to the brink of insanity before letting him fall into a black oblivion.

When he came back to reality, he noticed eyes all over the cafeteria were on him, watching him intently. He looked around and saw that in his dark, somewhat evil, thoughts he had set his book aflame. The charred remains of the novel lay in his hands as ash. He sighed, blowing away the particles of literature. He stood up, slinging his leather book-bag over his black leather-covered shoulder and walked out of the cafeteria.

He bumped into Will Stronghold, who apologized several times. He only sneered, baring white teeth at the Stronghold boy in hopes of scaring him off. He really did not need to be bothered right now. Right now he needed to find another copy of For Whom The Bell Tolls. This day just was not going to be a very good one, this he knew was true. Today was not his day. He just wanted to be painted black. Paint it all black.


	2. She's So Cold

Warren laughed at himself as the girl walked towards him, extending her hand and nodding towards the dance floor. He watched as her hand froze into an icy appendage and his own flaming limb touched hers, neutralizing their powers for the moment. He smiled kindly, "Yea, I'll dance with you." She smiled, her arms swaying to the song and her hips moving even faster, "I'm Runa Anders." Warren nodded, "Where're you from? That accent is one I've never heard before." She cocked her head to one side, to think about what Warren had said, "Ah! I am from Denmark." Warren nodded, processing this new information as he swayed his hips slightly to the music. "Interesting." He was not ready when she asked him a question. "Um, pardon?" She smiled, asking her question again, "What's your name?" He blushed, "Oh, Warren Peace." She shook his hand, "Nice to meet you, Warren."

He smiled, nervous, "Um, Runa?" She smiled and, in her thick Scandinavian accent, she responded, "Yes, Warren?" He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "Would you like to join me for dinner at the Paper Lantern sometime?" She nodded, holding his hands between hers, "Ja! Ja! I would! I would!"

He grinned like some idiotic jack-o'-lantern, steaming slightly in heated sheepishness. Of course, to cool this fiery Romeo, Runa kissed his cheek with her icy lips, neutralizing their powers for a second time that night. She smiled, "I'll see you at Paper Lantern tomorrow, Warren?" He nodded, a dumb look on his face, "Uh, yea." Young Runa then proceeded to skip away, leaving Warren with a look of stupidity plastered on his dark face that only read "I'm in love".

Will Stronghold, now Warren's close friend, walked up with girlfriend Layla on his arm, "Yea, Peace. What you been doing?" Warren's dark eyes stared off in the direction that his Dane beauty had left in and mumbled, "Runa." Layla smiled, "Ice-Girl?" Will raised an eyebrow, "Ice-Girl? Who is this?" Warren's eyes kept a close vigil on the door Runa had left through, "Runa Anders." Will smiled devilishly at the dumb grin on his friend's face, "Warren, are- are you in- in **love**?" Warren ripped his gaze from the door and back to the young Stronghold, gripping his red shirt with a fiery fist, "Watch it, Willie boy." Will tore himself from Warren's grasp, then proceeded to extinguish the flames that had begun to scorch his chest.

Layla helped Will put out the fire before she turned to Warren, "Warren! That wasn't a nice thing to do!" Warren pointed a finger at Will, "Tell him to stop saying that about me!" The Stronghold boy shot back, "What? That you, Warren Peace, are **in love**?" He growled, flames sprouting from his fingertips, "I'll roast you, Stronghold!" Layla held them apart, "Boys. You sound like immature little five-year-olds." Warren put out his fire, "Tell him to stop. Or, I swear, I'll roast him." Layla turned to her boyfriend, "Will. Leave him alone." Will sighed, "All right. Fine."

The following night, Warren readied himself for his date with Runa. He combed his hair back into a ponytail and wore a black button-up shirt with some black pants and his combat boots. He looked himself over in the mirror before deciding he looked pretty damn good. He straightened his collar and tugged at the end of his shirt in attempt to rid himself of some of the wrinkles. He did not feel like ironing tonight. He smiled, walking out to the living room to tell his foster family where he was headed. His foster mother smiled and told him in broken English, "You are look handsome, Warren Peace." He kissed her cheek and smiled, "Thanks, Ma." She watched, tears in her eyes as Warren walked out the door to the Paper Lantern, which was a block away.

Warren walked in and was greeted by one of his co-workers, who smiled, "Warren, you don't have work tonight. What are you doing here?" He shrugged, "A date." The girl smiled and said, "Ah, the young blond girl. She's quite beautiful." Warren nodded, his mouth drying up at the thought of Runa. "Yea." He followed the waitress to the table where his date awaited him. He smiled, "Thanks." She nodded, "No problem." He sat down across the table from Runa and smiled, "You- You look great." She blushed, "Thank you, Warren. You, too, look great." He smiled at the compliment, "Thank you. So, what year are 

you?" She thought about it, trying to process a translation of the question Warren had asked of her. "Oh, I am- junior? Yes, I am junior." Warren's eyes shot open, "Really? A junior? And how come I've never seen you around here before?" She smiled, "I move from Gentofte this summer." Warren nodded, still in shock that he was on a date with what had to be one of the hottest juniors in all of Sky High.

She stared intently at her menu, looking for something to eat. Warren saw the frustrated look on her face and said, "Would you like me to help you?" She blushed, embarrassed at her lack of understanding the menu, "Ja. I would." He smiled, looking over his menu and asking her what she preferred to eat. They eventually settled on sharing a plate of orange chicken between the two of them. Warren smiled, harpooning a large piece of orange chicken with his fork, "So, what do you like?" Runa looked up from her food, confused, "Hvad?" Warren thought of examples, waving his fork around in emphasis, "Umm.. What types of music do you like? Rock? Jazz? Punk? Classical? Country? Do you like to read?" "Ah," Runa sighed, realizing what it was the young freshman was asking, "I like rock. I like the Rolling Stones, ja? And the AeroSmith. Ja. And country. Alan Jackson and George Strait are my favorites." Warren nodded, shoveling a load of food into his mouth and munching happily; although he was not a great fan of country music, he did enjoy the Rolling Stones. Then, as he readied himself for a second large fork-load, Runa turned the tables on him, "Your turn now, Mr. Peace. What year are you?" He blushed, his fork mere inches from his mouth, and muttered into his orange chicken, "A freshman." She smiled, "Hvad? I couldn't hear you, speak louder, Warren. No mumbling." He spoke louder, his deep voice twinged with embarrassment, "A freshman." Runa's eyes went wide at this news, "Ja? A freshman? You are only fourteen?" He shook his head, "No, no. I'm sixteen, I just wasn't enrolled in school with all the other kids, so I'm two years older than my classmates." Runa nodded, "Warren Peace. Freshman. Hmm. And music?" He smiled, "The Stones, their older stuff anyways, the Misfits, some Beach Boys, Thin Lizzy, erm, the Crüe... lotsa old rock, really. Do you have any interesting hobbies, Runa?" Runa smiled, "Ja. I sing." His eyes lit up, "Really? Well, that's something. Would you sing for me?" But the Dane girl only giggled playfully and shook her head. Warren's face dropped in apparent disappointment. But, their date went on without a hitch. They laughed and joked and were as compatible as could be.

At the end of the night, Warren asked Runa if he could walk her home, something she quickly agreed to. They walked down the streets, Runa's blond head resting on Warren's strong dark shoulder as they continued, hand in hand, to Runa's home. When they reached a quaint looking two story home near where the Stronghold family lived, Runa stopped and smiled, "This is my home." She kissed his cheek in a farewell, "Afsked, Warren Peace." He smiled, slightly confused but interested nonetheless, "Pardon?" She smiled, "Afsked means farewell." His smile grew and Runa walked up the front steps to her house. She turned back to see him still standing there and smiled, "Ja?" He said, "Will I ever see you again?" She smiled slyly, "Silly freshman."

He watched her walk into her house before thinking to himself, "What if she doesn't want to see me again because I'm a freshman?" This made him angry, and nothing was a worse sight to see than Warren Peace when he got angry. His arms burst into flames, each fiery end licking at his body until sweat trickled down his face. He walked down the street, towards his house, angry and hurt. How could she have used him like this? The cold-hearted Ice-girl playing with his heart in ways that he did not understand fully. That broke him.

Later in the evening, as he lay awake in bed, with "She's So Cold" by the Rolling Stones echoing in his head, Warren thought that maybe he was just over-reacting and she really did like him. He rolled over and closed his dark eyes tight, hoping he was right.

The following morning was Monday, that meant school for Warren Peace, Will Stronghold, Runa Anders, Layla Zielinski, and the other students of Sky High. Warren dressed himself in his usual clothes, not taking any time to make himself presentable for school. Or for Runa. He caught the bus to Sky High and, as usual, sat in the back to think about what he was going to do about Runa. But it was not to be. Layla and Will walked up. "Hi, Warren!" Layla said in her usual chipper tone. Warren sneered, "Hey." Layla prodded him gently in the side, "So, how did your date go?" Warren raised an eyebrow, "How'd you know I was out?" Will blushed, "We kind of overheard you ask Runa out." Warren glared, "Just be glad we're in a packed bus or else I'd have you roasted!" Will apologized, "Sorry, man." Then they decided it was best to leave Warren be, or else Will would be the first member of the Stronghold family to be a roast.

Warren walked off the bus with his usual "I hate life" attitude, until he saw his Heaven-sent Danish beauty. He decided to play it cool. Well, as cool as a pyro could be. He walked across the green lawns of Sky High and passed by Runa and her posse of equally blond and buxom friends, "Hey Runa." She did not even turn his way.

He felt so terribly used and abused that he could not control himself, he burst into flames and sent a fiery ball through several tree trunks. The reality of his actions hit him hard as he realized he had defaced school property, something worthy of a fine and a week's detention. He cringed and made his way, as face as he could, to the gymnasium.

When he reached the gymnasium, Layla and Will stood in the middle, hand-in-hand; the perfect superhuman couple. He hoped to slip into class unnoticed, but darling Layla blew his cover, "Oh, Will, look it's Warren. Hi, Warren!" Her cheerful voice echoed in his head as he spun around to face the flower child and her superboy. He smiled, "Hey Wonder-Dork, Hey Flower Child." Will cringed, "Hey Fireball. So, did you see Runa this morning?" Warren lied, "No." He flipped his wrist nonchalantly, his first two fingers ablaze and a somewhat bitter smile on his face as he added, "Must've missed her." Layla eyed him suspiciously, "You're lying." The fiery boy shot back at her, "How would you know? You a Psychic now?"

Layla shouted back at the dark-haired flame-thrower, "Because I saw you this morning!" Warren stepped back, his chest pounding, "So. Guess everyone here knows, huh?" Layla shook her head, "No one knows. I was the only one who saw and I didn't say a thing." Warren sighed, "Yea. She completely ignored me. I think she hates me. But I don't know what I did wrong. I was nice to her, wasn't I?" Layla shrugged, "Maybe she wasn't looking for manners." Warren let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know, Flower Child." Will butted into the conversation, smiling, "What about your date? Did you two have fun?" Warren shrugged, "I guess so. We both like the Stones." Layla smiled wider, almost laughing, "Funny." Will and Warren both looked at the fair-haired flower child, "What?" She said, "Both of you like the Rolling Stones. One of their songs is entitled _She's So Cold._ Maybe Runa's just playing a little game with you." Warren huffed in frustration, "Well, I'm getting tired of the game called love."

Magenta, who had been unusually silent, piped up, "You admit it then? That you're loopy for some girl who doesn't really give a rat's behind about you?" Zach Brieman, Magenta's glowing boyfriend, held his girl around the waist and shrugged, "Well, I wish you luck, man." Ethan Pembry, the meek melting boy who hung out with them, shrugged, "I can only wish you the best, Warren," before pushing his glasses up his nose and snorting heavily in the stereotype of nerds. Warren smiled softly at them, "Thanks, but I dunno how it'll work out." Then the day's classes began.

At lunch the following day, Warren tried yet again, to win the heart- or simply catch the eye- of Runa Anders. He walked up the wet lawn to the front of the school and sat on the cement steps, watching and waiting for his beloved that he knew was going to pass by. She did, and lucky was unaccompanied this 

time. He jogged up to her, not forgetting his leather book-bag, "Runa! Runa wait!" She turned around, her arms locked in front of her, ready to freeze anyone who crossed her. Then she saw who it was that pursued her, "Warren?" He smiled, "Hi. I saw you and I wanted to ask you if-" She smiled coyly, "If what, kaerlighed?" He swallowed his pride and his embarrassment, "If you like me as much as I like you?" She smiled, brushing a stray black hair from his face, "Ja, I like you, Warren." His mouth hung open about half an inch and a squeaky moan leaked from his throat as she pressed up against his over-six-foot frame and ran her delicate fingertips over his dark hair.

Regaining his composure, Warren's mouth closed and he swallowed his surprise, "Really?" Runa smiled wickedly, "Ja, mig kaerlighed." He nodded, blinking in surprise, "Wow. Seriously?" Runa wrapped a dark strand of Warren's hair around her index finger, twisting it gently as she cooed in his ear, "Very seriously." Warren smiled in joy, throwing a fist in the air to emphasize his glee, "YES!"

He took Runa's small shoulders in his hands and kissed her lips, igniting himself into a fiery blaze as she cooled them off with her freezing powers. A few students stopped to stare at this spectacle, but most just ignored this young couple like they did with any other super-couple who displayed affections in public. Warren pulled away, "I'm sorry. Was I being too forward?" She smiled, "No, kaerlighed. You weren't."

She held his hand in hers and they walked off. He walked around the school grounds with her at his side, resting her blond head on his strong, dark shoulder for at least fifteen minutes, simply enjoying her presence. He looked down at her, "Runa. Why did you ignore me yesterday?" She lifted her head to meet the gaze of the dark flame-thrower, "Warren, forgive me. I feel so foolish. I was embarrassed of you. You are a freshman and I am a junior. I did not want my friends to laugh." He looked in her blue eyes and said, "We're both sixteen. I'm not any younger than you, I just got a late start." She nodded, "I know, Warren. Forgive me." He smiled, holding her against him. "I do."

Suddenly they were bombarded by Will Stronghold and Layla Zielinski, Zach Brieman and Magenta Trent, and the dorky but lovable Ethan Pembry. Warren looked up, fire in his eyes as he glared at Stronghold and Zielinski, "Wonder-Dork, Flower Child." Will grinned arrogantly, "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, Warren?" Layla beat Warren to the punch, extending an arm to shake Runa's hand, "Hello, I'm Layla Zielinski." Runa shook her hand, a bit nervously, "I am Runa Anders." Layla smiled kindly, "Oh, that's such a pretty accent. Are you Scandinavian?" The Dane girl nodded proudly, "I am from Denmark." Magenta extended a hand, "Nice to meet you, Runa. I'm Magenta Trent." Runa smiled, shaking the purple girl's hand, "I love your hair, so beautiful." Magenta blushed, "Thanks. This is my boyfriend-" Zach cut her off, "Zach Brieman. Very pleased to meet you, Ms. Anders." Runa smiled, "Thank you. I am pleased to meet you, too. Mr. Brieman." Ethan butted in, "I'm Ethan." She bent down to his height, herself being just about six-foot, and squeezed his cheek, "You look so adorable. Girls back in Gentofte would just love you!" He blushed, "Thank you." She then turned to the last of Warren's friends. "Warren, will you not introduce me to your other friend?" Warren looked at Will and said, "This is Will Stronghold, he's Layla boyfriend." She shook his hand, "Will Stronghold! I remember your parents, they were at homecoming, ja?" He nodded, blushing and giggling nervously, "Yea. Nice to make your acquaintance, Runa." She nodded, "Likewise, Will."

The bell rang, sending the students to their classes, and Warren smiled, kissing Runa's cheek, "I'll see you after class, right?" She smiled, "Of course, Warren." Then they dashed off to class, none of them wanting to be late."


	3. Anybody Seen My Baby?

Warren sighed, rolling over in his bed and staring at the wall in hopes of sleep. The red numbers of his digital alarm clock told him it was 2:58 and that he should be asleep. Work started in a little over four hours and he had not slept once. He felt so alone. Ever since Runa left, his nights had been filled with sleeplessness. He missed her so much.

**He roared in anger, "I don't understand why you feel the need to belittle me so much!" Runa screamed back, "I'm not belittling you!" His strong hand swept across the table in anger, throwing their dishes to the floor, "You constantly belittle my opinions in everything, goddammit!" The flames on his back and arms rising and licking at the air in their tiny apartment. She screamed at him, gathering all the strength she needed to freeze him, "You are a hot-headed pig, you know that?" His reply was, "It's better than being an icy bitch." She stopped, the coldness around her dissipating and tears forming in her blue eyes, "I see." Warren saw the hurt he had caused her and reached out to her, "Runa." She sent a blast of ice his way and stormed off, down the hall to their bedroom, where she began to pack her things. A few minutes later, she came out of the bedroom wearing a long trench coat and holding two suitcases full of her belongings. "I can see I bother you, Mr. Peace. So I'll just leave you alone now. You don't need an 'icy bitch' around the house to belittle you." Warren ran after her as she walked out of their apartment, crying silently to herself. He called after her, "Runa! Runa, wait. I'm sorry!" She did not turn back.**

That was just over a week ago, that Warren Peace's girlfriend of five years walked away. He beat himself up so much about it, every day when he missed seeing her and every night when he missed holding her. Now, on this night, he stared at the picture of her that he kept on his night stand. His lip trembling, but he did not cry. He would not cry. He picked up the phone on his night stand and dialed Will Stronghold's number. Will answered in a groggy, sleep-filled voice, "Hello?" Warren groaned, "Stronghold?" Will heard the hurt in Warren's voice and sobered himself, "Yea, Warren? What's wrong?" Will sat up in bed, turning on the light and rousing Layla into consciousness, "Layla, hon, get up." Warren knew he could not hold back the tears of hate much longer, "I can't sleep, Stronghold. I can't do anything without thinking about her. I miss her." Will nodded, "I know, Warren. It hurts. Have you tried getting in touch with her?" Warren shook his head, rubbing his forehead in thought, "Naw, I haven't." Will nodded, "You should try, Warren. Ask her to forgive you." Warren sighed, "I guess you're right, huh? Hell, you and Layla been an item since freshman year, huh?" Will smiled, looking down at Layla, who had fallen back asleep. "Yea, we have. So were you and Runa." Warren nodded, "Yea**. Were.**" Will looked at the clock, "Warren, it's three in the morning. I need to work in four hours, so, can we call it a night?" Warren nodded, "Sure." The handsome flame-thrower hung up the phone and sat awake for a long while, resting his head against the wooden headboard of his bed. Staring out into the black nothingness of his empty room, the pyro muttered, "Anybody seen my baby?"

A few weeks later, he called the office, telling his supervisor he was not feeling well enough to go to work. "Mike?" His friendly supervisor nodded, acknowledging his name, "Yea, Warren. What's wrong?" He groaned and rubbed his eyes, "I'm not feelin' too cool. Is it okay if I stay home today?" Mike nodded, "Yea, sure. Take all the time you need, man. You don't sound too keen either." Warren nodded, his voice husky and cracking, "Yea, didn't sleep too well last night." Mike sighed, "Well, you get better soon, Warren. Y'hear?" Warren laughed half-heartedly, "Sure."

Then he hung up the phone and shuffled into the kitchen, where he turned on the coffee pot, before continued on to the living room, where he plopped down on the couch, tired and beaten down by his broken heart. He looked down at his flat stomach, and noticed how much weight he had lost. He had not eaten anything of true substance in a week, and for the past few months his appetite was gone. He did 

not want to eat; he did not want to sleep; he did not even want to go outside. The phone in the kitchen rang and Warren sluggishly made his way to the counter. He leaned on the counter for support as he answered he phone with a gruff, "Hullo." It was Will. Will spoke on the other end of the line, "Hey Warren, how are you? I called your office and they said you weren't coming to work today. Are you feelin' okay?" Warren growled weakly, "I'm feeling fine." Will's tone of voice became rigid and serious, over-powering even Warren's thick-headedness, "Warren Peace." Warren's voice strained as he shot back, "What, Stronghold?" Will replied, "This is about Runa, isn't it?" The flame-thrower pretended not to hear him, staying silent. But the super-powered real-estate agent knew that the Danish beauty was the exact reason for his friend's plight. "This **is** about Runa! God, Warren. I thought you had the sense to try and reconcile with her a month ago!" Warren turned his concentration away from Will as he thought of the time he did try to reconcile with Runa.

**He decided, at the insistence of Will and Layla, to go out for some fresh air. To "clear his mind" Layla had told him. What a load of bull. He was walking down the street downtown, past several little coffee shops and bistros. He had just bought a soda from one of the little restaurants and was slurping it quite contently, letting the cold soda rush down his throat and into the stomach that had not experienced much food lately. Then he looked across the street and swore that he saw Runa Anders, his beloved high school sweetheart. Looking again, he saw that it was her! She was walking down the street in a cute pink skirt and a tiny white camisole. Warren's heart leaped to see her and he opened his mouth to call out to her. But then she sat on a yellow motorcycle in front of a young man a bit older than herself, late twenties maybe. This young man's arms were covered by large and colorful tattoos and his black hair stuck out in tufts from under his black and white mesh trucker hat. Warren felt himself getting quite angry to see his Runa being groped at and fondled in such a way by some horrible tattoo-covered freak. The flames consumed his soda cup as the motorcycle's engine revved and the yellow motorcycle flew down the street and Warren ran off in the opposite direction, fuming and a fire of hatred burning in his eyes. **

He came back to reality, hot tears obscuring his vision, and heard Will over the phone, repeating his name, "Warren? Warren? Warren, are you there?" Then everything went black. Will's worried voice cried out, "Warren? Warren, are you there? Warren? Warren? God damn it, Warren!"

He crashed the phone into its cradle with such force that it snapped the phone in two. He grunted in dissatisfaction and threw the pieces of phone in the trash can of his office before grabbing his coat and his keys and running out of the Stronghold Real Estate Agency faster than he had ever run before. Layla, who worked there part-time, saw her boyfriend running out of his office and followed him. "Will! Will, what's wrong?" she cried to him, hoping he would look her way. He called back over his shoulder, "It's Warren!" She realized the potential danger of this and how serious it was and ran after him.

They drove to Warren's apartment building in Will's brand new blue Dodge Ram pick up. Will ran up the two flights of stairs to Warren's apartment with Layla tailing behind him. They reached their friend's apartment and knocked softly on the door, "Warren? Warren?" There was no answer.

Deciding it was in his friend's best interest, Will grabbed the door handle and ripped the door from its hinges, setting it gently to the side, and walked in the apartment. It smelled as though it had not been cleaned in months and Will knew it probably had not. Layla walked in behind him, searching for Warren. As Will called through the apartment for their friend, Layla found him. She screamed, "Oh God! Will! Come here!" He ran to her side, "Layla, what's wrong?" He followed her gaze and saw his friend, Warren Peace, laying on the floor, unconscious. "Is he dead?" "I don't know, Layla." The Stronghold boy bent down and gently rested his ear against Warren's strong chest. "He's breathing. He's just unconscious." 

Layla sighed, relieved that they did not have a dead man on their hands. Will turned around and whipped out his cellphone, calling the only people he knew that would help him. "Mom? Dad? It's Will, I need your help."

About three hours later, Warren woke up in some hospital room with several intravenous drips pumping various liquids into the purple and blue veins in his arms. He grumbled, looking at the fuzzy world around him. He could make out a green shape that he knew must be Layla, and the purple on beside her was Magenta. The neon blur holding Magenta was obviously Zach. Then he heard a voice beside his bed that he recognized as Will Stronghold's. "Warren, you gave us all quite the scare." Warren wiped his eyes, hating this blurred vision, and sighed in relief as he saw Ethan was standing next to Zach. But the other two people in the room surprised him. "Commander? Jetstream?" Commander Stronghold laughed heartily, "With all the history you have with us, Warren, you should be calling us 'Steve' and 'Josie'." Warren leaned back into the soft pillows, finally he had had some rest. It felt nice to be rested.

Will repeated his earlier comment, "Warren, you gave us all quite the scare. And you look like Death itself. God, have you eaten anything?" Warren shrugged, "Not hungry lately." Magenta snapped, "And what does 'lately' mean to you, Warren? You must've lost fifteen to twenty pounds!" Warren looked down, not making eye contact with anyone in the room.

But Josie Stronghold took the dark boy's chin in her hand and held it up to meet her gaze which, to his surprise, was warm and caring and motherly. "Warren, why are you hurting yourself so much?" His eyes filled with tears that burned and stung, "Without her, I'm nothing. I can't sleep at night. I don't want to eat anymore. I haven't gone outside to have fun in two months. Why can't she see that she's hurting me so much?" He knew he could burst into angry flames at any moment, and Josie Stronghold knew this too. But she did not back away, she stayed at his side, staring him in the eyes and looking deep into his soul for answers to his plight. She said softly, "Warren Peace, you're a strong and handsome boy. Anyone would be crazy not to want you. You can't waste away for someone who'll never come back to you." He pulled out of her grasp, hurt and angry, "My mother did."

Josie pulled back, knowing that Warren was very right. His mother had wasted her life loving her doomed husband. She looked up to her own husband, "Steve." Steve walked over and bent down at the side of Warren's hospital bed, "Kid, you gotta move on with your life. You're young. You've gotta live life as best you can. You can't fade out on us now." Warren looked up into Steve Stronghold's kind blue eyes and showed his one-time enemy the tears that he had cried, "When a man lies, he murders some part of the world. These are the pale deaths which men miscall their lives. All this I cannot bear to witness any longer. Cannot the kingdom of salvation take me home?" Steve sighed, "Warren, do you think this is what your parents would've wanted of you?" Warren closed his dark eyes in shame, letting his tears escape from beneath his thick dark lashes. His friend's father continued, "Do you think that when you were born your parents wanted you to grow up only waste away over some girl who apparently doesn't love you enough? I don't, Warren. I knew your father and I knew your mother. They loved you so much. Your mother wouldn't have wanted this for you. You know that."

Warren sighed, "I guess you are right. It's that old adage. 'If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, then you know it is true love.' I guess Runa didn't love me." Suddenly, he felt a strong grip holding his shoulder tightly in hopes of comforting him. Looking up, he saw the hand that held him belonged to Will Stronghold. He smiled slightly, the tips of his lips curling up only partially, "Thanks, Stronghold." Will grinned, a bit embarrassed that Warren Peace was acting civilly towards him, "No problem, Warren." Warren reached up, gripping the hand on his shoulder in a flaming-hot squeeze, and looked right into Will's eyes, "I mean it, Will. Thank you." Will nodded, knowing all too well that Warren meant every word of what he had said.


	4. Play With Fire

Weeks and, eventually, several months went by after the incident at the hospital. Warren decided, after spending two weeks in the hospital due to his frail health, that he was ready to move on. He knew Runa would probably never come back and, frankly, now he did not really care. He was enjoying being single again. The partying was a blast for him.

He especially enjoyed the night he went to Will and Layla's house for a barbecue. They had all their friends at the party, both supers and normal people. He flirted playfully with a tall and curvaceous brunette named Sarah, who loved Mötley Crüe as much as he did. She giggled as he whispered suggestive comments in her ear, "Gosh! You are **too** great!" Warren grinned and ran a hand through his long brown hair, "Yea, you're pretty great, too." Her eyes fluttered as he whispered in a husky voice into her ear, "I really like you, you know?" She whispered back, as they danced to some rap song, "I like you, too, Warren." His hands went to her hips, moving her body in unison with his, "You go to school?" She nodded, the back of her body pressing against the front of his as they danced, "Yea." He smiled, his breath warm on her cool skin. Their little interlude was interrupted, though, with Will tapping his spoon against the side of his glass.

Will smiled as the crowd of people turned to Layla and himself. "Hello everyone, I just wanted to welcome you all to our little luau. Hope you guys are up for a treat. Later tonight, we have Warren performing a flame-throwing act." This last comment got Will an evil look from Warren, who did not like being the punch-line in a joke unless he was punching someone. The young Stronghold grinned nervously and held Layla against him, "The reason we invited you guys all here tonight was because Layla and I have a big announcement to make." Someone in the back, someone who sounded an awful lot like Zach, yelled out, "Layla's having a baby!" Will shot an angry glare towards the back of the room and growled, "No! Layla is **not** having a baby. Actually, our announcement is, well, Layla and I are getting married!" Several of the super-powered guests, among whom were Warren and Zach, used their super powers to express their joy. Zach was a human glowstick, a bright yellow burst of light in the middle of the crowd, jumping up and cheering for his friends. Warren sent a small fire ball across the backyard, setting a tiki torch into a fiery inferno. He ran up, hugging Will tightly and kissing Layla on the cheek, "Congratulations!" Will smiled, bringing his hand up to Warren's shoulder and squeezing it, "Thanks, buddy. That means a lot to me."

After the excitement of two of their own getting married wore off, the guests returned to partying. Warren walked back over to Sarah. She smiled, "So, what's it gonna be boy, yes or no?" He looked over her, surveying every part of her body with unwavering attention. But he did not want to give himself to her. He barely knew her. He sighed, "No." She raised an eyebrow, "Really?" He shrugged apologetically, "I'm sorry, I'm just not that kind of guy." She let out a very audible sigh of disappointment and pouted exaggeratedly, "Well." He shrugged apologetically to her again, walking off.

A few days later, Warren was grocery shopping in the market down the street from his apartment. As he pushed his cart across the tile-floor of the supermarket, he scanned the boxes of pasta and quick-fixin' dinners. He looked up and saw Runa Anders, the girl who had broken his heart and sent him into a three month-long depression. She seemed to be doing quite well for herself. She wore a pair of sandals that laced all the way up to her knee, reminiscent of the Roman soldiers, a pink shirt that read "I'm so perfect, I'm jealous of myself", and a brown gypsy skirt with "gold" coins along the waist. Her fingernails were well-manicured and painted a light pink, as well as her toenails. On her shoulder was a tiny purse and inside of the purse was her miniature Yorkshire terrier, peeking its tiny head out of her bag and looking around the market wide-eyed. Warren shuffled in the opposite direction, not purposely avoiding her but, rather, going to get something he had forgotten.

He was rather proud of himself. He had done quite well getting on with a life that did not include her. He was free to eat in the living room, something Runa had always disapproved of, and to lounge around in pajamas on the weekends.

He smiled, arrogantly, and continued pushing his cart along, "I don't need her. I'm doing wonderfully without her. She gotta learn not to play around with me. 'Cause then she'd be playing with fire." Laughing silently to himself, he continued grocery shopping.


	5. Time Waits For No One

Runa Anders walked into the market to pick up some puppy chow for her new Yorkshire terrier, Mick. She saw, out of the corner of her eye, Warren Peace shopping for groceries as well. Warren Peace. The boy who had broken her heart. She sighed. He looked so good. That was the first time she had seen him out and about since she broke up with Kirk Lee, a man she had been casually dating since her break up with Warren. She leaned against her shopping cart, reminiscing about the good times she had had with Warren.

He was the sweetest boy in high school. He had been the only freshman to go to the junior prom that year, and the only sophomore at the senior prom the following year. He had been the shy and adorable boyfriend in front of large crowds. But when they were alone together, he would whisper to her how much she meant to him. How he made her feel as though all the world had melted away and they were the only people around. But those good old days were gone. As much as she missed them, she knew they were gone.

She found a can of puppy chow and took it up to the cashier to pay for it. Still in thought, she stood at the cashier stand for ten minutes, grinning like a love-sick idiot. When the cashier, a young Hispanic girl named Teresa, tapped her arm and handed her the change, she realized how much of an idiot she must have made of herself. She took the change and the puppy chow and ran outside, "Thank you."

Once she reached her cobalt blue Highlander, it hit her. She was still in love with Warren. That was why she had felt so lethargic for those few days after she left him. Runa also supposed that this was the reason her so-called "relationship" with Kirk had not worked out. Kirk was a man of action. And he had wanted a lot of it. They had decided to separate when she blatantly told him that she was not the kind of girl to just give herself to anyone. Of course, he then proceeded to call her a "prudish whore". This only caused him to be frozen.

She missed Warren. She missed his smile, the way his eyes twinkled whenever he said, "I love you, Runa", his echoing laugh when she did something stupid. She missed the way he looked when he was sleeping, peaceful and innocent, and the way he was so serious when he was working. She missed the way she seemed to fit into the contours of his body whenever he held her close to his body as they sat on the couch, watching television. She missed the deep, rugged sound of his voice when he talked to her, when he whispered sweet nothings in her ear. She missed his scent, that sharp musky scent that drove her wild. She missed the way he would get ready for a date. The way he would dress up so nicely that he put her to shame, and then he would slap on some Stetson cologne. Her favorite cologne. But, most of all, she missed Warren himself.

That night, at home, she was in bed, watching television, with Mick at her breast. Suddenly, the idea came to her that she should reconcile with Warren. He had to still love her. She knew that, deep down, he had to still love her. She grabbed her phone and dialed the number to Warren's apartment. It rang several times before reverting to Warren's answering machine. "Hey, it's Warren. I'm either sleeping, not home or dead. If I'm sleeping and you leave me a message, then you might be called. If I'm not home and you leave me a message, you're basically screwed 'cause I don't know when I'm coming home. If I'm dead and you leave me a message, then you best hope there's a psychic handy because that'll be the only way I'll return your call. Later." Runa rolled her eyes at the message and hung up.

It came to her. "He's probably at Will's." She dialed the number to Will Stronghold's house and let it ring three times. Then Will picked up, "Stronghold residence, William Stronghold speaking. How may I help you?" Runa shook her eyes, "Jesus, Will, you sound like a recording." Will gasped, slight anger apparent in his voice, "Runa!" She smiled, running her long fingers through her long blond hair, "Hi, Will. Is Warren there?" Will stated icily, "Yes, he is." She laughed nervously, "Can I speak to him?" Stronghold continued monotonously, "Why?" She grew frustrated, "What do you mean 'why'? Will, we've known 

each other since high school. I want to speak with Warren. Now, will you please just give him the phone?"

His lip curled back in a silent growl as he said, "Why would Warren want to talk to the girl who almost drove him to kill himself?" Runa stayed silent, shock overcoming her. Will scoffed, "You don't even know what I'm talking about, do you?" Runa shook her head, "N-no." Will explained coldly, "After you guys broke up, Warren barely ate and didn't sleep for almost a month. He lost about twenty pounds, was sick as a dog, and wanted to die. He wanted to die. He'd given up all hope for life. Was hospitalized for a few weeks. Because you walked out on him. Now, why do you want to talk to him?" Runa hung up, furious. How could she have put the boy she loved in so much pain?

Two days later, she drove the Highlander down to the apartments she used to live at. She ran up the stairs to her old apartment, two stairs at a time, and reached her apartment door. She knocked softly. Warren's voice called from the back of the apartment, "Hey Deb! I'll be out in a sec, let yourself in and make yourself at home." Runa's face dropped. He was going out on a date. She did not want to ruin his evening. Apparently, he was doing just fine without her in his life. She ran off, down the stairs and to her Highlander, before driving home in tears.

Runa sighed; the Rolling Stones were right.

"Time waits for no one and it won't wait for me."


	6. Under My Thumb

About a month later, Warren yawned, opening his eyes to the glory of a new morning. He was so positive and so happy now that he was single. He got out of bed, stretching, and walked over to the kitchen to turn on the coffee pot. Then he walked to the bathroom, showered, shaved, and got dressed before returning to the kitchen for some coffee. Slowly, he sipped coffee as he read the paper and listened to the radio.

After finishing the pot of coffee, he grabbed his coat and his keys to the apartment and went out for some fun. He locked up the apartment and walked down to the local park, a place where he would go to meditate and to be alone.

While at the park, he laid down in the grass, staring up at the sky. He felt suddenly spiritual, which led him to believe that Layla was rubbing off on him. Closing his eyes, he took a nap in the sunshine. Then a shadow came upon him and he opened his dark eyes in surprise.

"Runa?" She had tears in her eyes, "Hello, Warren." He smiled, trying to be as cordial as possible. "How are you, Runa?" She wiped her eyes, "Warren, I came here to talk to you." He sat up, devoting his attention to her, "Yea?" She sat down on the green grass and sighed, "Warren, I'm sorry." He shook his head, not understanding, "For what?" She said, "For everything. For running out on you, for causing your depression. For not trying to talk to you about it." He sighed, "It's been about six months now, Runa. I've forgiven you for all the times you wronged me. But, honestly, it's you who should be forgiving me." She looked up, "Why?"

He smiled, "Do you even remember what we were fighting about that night?" She thought back on it, "You said I belittle your opinions." He nodded, "It is true, though. You often tossed my opinions aside, like those of a child." She latched onto him, crying, "Warren! I'm sorry. I honestly am sorry." He pet her long blond hair, whispering to her to calm her down, "Sh. It's okay, baby. It's okay."

She pulled away, looking into his eyes, "Warren Peace, I still love you. And if you're not ready to love me back, that's fine. I don't care. I'll wait forever to have you back in my life. I've been miserable these past few weeks. I've realized that I still love you and I want to be the woman in your life again." Warren looked away, unsure of what to do or say. He sighed heavily, "Runa." She interrupted him, "That's fine if you think I'm the lowly scum that you've ever encountered. I know that I was wrong with what I did. I'll admit it. I was wrong. I just want to love you again. And I am not kidding when I say I'll wait forever for you." With that said, she stood up and began to walk off. But Warren's strong grip held her in place as he stood up as well. "I've been waiting six months for this." She looked over her shoulder at him, "What?" He smiled, pulling her close to him, "I've been waiting six months for you to say that to me." Then he pulled her to his lips and kissed her. He pulled away after some time, "Are you under my thumb, baby?" She smiled, kissing him back, "I'd do anything to ensure I don't lose you again."


End file.
